


Cross-Pollination

by Icka M Chif (mischif)



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alternate Universe, Dating, Flowers, I Don't Even Know, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Non-Human Genitalia, Tentacles, Xenophilia, human ideas of gender and sexuality don't really work for plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 16:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischif/pseuds/Icka%20M%20Chif
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bunnymund's a Alien. Sure, he looks like a giant rabbit, but that doesn't mean that he is one. Especially when it comes to reproduction.</p><p>Aka: the one where the author isn't sure if it counts as mPreg when the knocked-up one isn't technically male due to being a flowering plant. Seriously.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cross-Pollination

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inkandpencil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkandpencil/gifts), [Foxifly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxifly/gifts).



> I'd started this a while back as a joke after talking to Viper and Morte about tentacles, and then other ficcage kinda took priority. 
> 
> Then recently there was a post about ‘[Bunnymund’s Bits](http://frostedhips.tumblr.com/post/61860474210/i-can-sorta-sympathize-with-that-one-anon-but-only-on)’, and how Bunny’s an _Alien_ and…. Yeah. We need some fluffy crack, yes? 
> 
> Thanks to [Lady Nero](http://ladynero815.tumblr.com/) for the title. 

* * *

“Bunny?” Jack asks, pulling away as Bunny tenses beneath him. He doesn’t pull away completely, as it’s kind of hard with him straddling Bunny’s lap, but just enough that he can see Bunny’s face.

This has been happening a lot lately whenever they started making out. They’d be fine, then Bunny would tense and usually find something else to do, away from Jack. “You okay? Do we… Should I stop?”

Bunny has a guilty look on his face, his dark brows creased, and Jack feels his stomach drop.

Their evolving relationship is a big adjustment on both their sakes, but if what they’re doing isn’t fun for **both** of them, then Jack isn’t interested in going any farther than this. Than being friends.

He’d _like_ to do, to be more with Bunny, but if Bunny is changing his mind, Jack kind of wants to know.

“There’s somethin’… I need ta talk ta ya first about, Jack…” Bunny says nervously as he takes Jack’s hands in his.

Uncomfortable butterflies take up occupancy in Jack’s stomach. Bunny never calls him ‘Jack’, it’s always ‘Jackie’ or ‘Frostbite’ or ‘Snowflake’. And ‘needing to talk’… Rates pretty high up there among the last thing you want to hear. Especially before having sex with your boyfriend.

At least, he was hoping that’s where things were leading. What with the making out, the fingers tangled in the fur, the hands under the clothing, and his maybe kind of humping Bunny’s leg. Little bit. Not much. Involuntary, really. 

Bunny makes a noise that’s not quite a sigh as he squeezes Jack’s hands. “Yanno I’m alien right?” He says tentatively. “Not from Earth?”

“Yeah-?” Jack agrees. Bunny’s a six foot tall somewhat humanoid alien male rabbit that’s older than dirt with an egg fetish. Jack kind of already went through the freak out about liking Bunny ages ago, before they started courting.

“Right, well…” Bunny swallows. “So my… bits don’t exactly look the same as yer bits.”

Jack blinks. Not exactly worrying to be honest, Bunny looks like… well, a _rabbit_. He glances down at Bunny’s crotch. Where Bunny doesn’t seem to be showing the same amount if interest in things as the same region on Jack is. But then he’d be surprised if Bunny looked human down there.

“Ah.” Bunny makes an uncomfortable noise. “Not there.”

That’s enough to get Jack’s attention. “Huh?”

“Lemme just…. I’ll show ya.” Bunny sounds resigned as he squeezes Jack’s hands again. Jack waits, wondering what Bunny’s talking about.

And then he sees them. At first, he thinks it’s a trick of the light, the way Bunny’s fur shifts, but it’s not. The first to appear are two little antennae from the top of Bunny’s head, right between his ears. They’re long and thin, half the height of Bunny’s ears, with tiny little bulbs on the end.

More tendrils stick out from Bunny’s sides, but they’re bigger than the ones on his head, growing until they’re longer than Bunny’s arms, as thick as Jack’s wrist at the base, tapering down to about the thickness of two of Jack’s fingers pressed together, with fuzzy globes on the ends. There’s six of them, three on each side, from under the arms to the hip.

There also seem to be spikes sticking out the back. It sort of reminds of him that cartoon character, Stitch. Who was also a shapeshifting alien.

“Oh.” Jack says, glancing down between Bunny’s legs, which is still as unresponsive as it’s always been, then up at the waving tentacles, which are doing nervous loop de loops in the air, reaching towards him without touching.

Alien. Right.

“I… Uh… Reproductive wise, I guess ya could say I’m closer ta a plant than an earth critter-?” Bunny babbles. “They’re like stamen, only flexible… oh.”

Bunny trails off as Jack touches the of tendril closest to him. It’s smooth, almost plasticy feeling until he gets to the bulbous tip, which is sticky with some sort of powdery residue. He pulls his hand away to lick his fingers. It’s sweet, like nectar.

Bunny’s staring at him with large round eyes, like can’t believe that Jack just did that, and nervous that he’s just scared off Jack. As if his grouchy attitude and acidic wit couldn’t have done that. Jack leans forward, pressing his lips to Bunny’s, nipping the bottom lip, sharing the sweet taste.

Not exactly what he’s been picturing when he’d fantasised them getting down and dirty, to be honest. Definitely a little strange and unexpected. But not something that is going to send him running screaming to the far hills either. Just… a little different.

Jack is okay with different.

“So what you’re saying… Is that you’d like to pollinate me?” Jack asks, pulling away just enough to see Bunny’s shell-shocked expression.  He grins as he watches the dark pupil of Bunny’s eye overtake the green of his irises and keep going until Bunny’s eye is solid black like the night sky, looking at Jack with a predatory expression.

It’s kind of freaky, but kind of hot at the same time too.  

“Maybe.” Bunny’s voice drops, low and rough, and Jack feels a shiver go through him. He tightens his fingers, grabbing onto the long hair at Bunny’s shoulders, trying to resist the urge to hump Bunny’s leg again.

This is definitely going to be _fun_.

-fin-


	2. The Birds and the Bees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... Okay, think this is out of my system now. The story continues, because why not? [Funky alien biology](http://arinrowan.tumblr.com/post/100123652216/eeyore9990-jaxthebum) and culture ahead.

* * *

There are days when Aster doesn’t know how he got so lucky. 

Jack is… Jack is the perfect partner, the perfect pollinator. He’s friendly, quick to smile, colourful in his own way, travels a lot, good company to spend time with. 

And adores Aster as much as Aster adores him.

Jack also delighted in carrying a layer of Aster’s pollen on him, hiding it under his clothing, and mixing it in with his glittering ice. Jack claims it’s the best kind of secret, flying around, smelling sticky-sweet of Aster, before returning to the Warren and Aster, bringing in the scent of the world above. 

He’d been nervous about taking that step in their relationship, afraid that Jack would decide that that was where he drew the line, that Aster was too alien, too foreign to continue to associate with. Giant alien rabbit was one thing, rabbits were still in the mammals classification, the same as humans. 

Giant alien _plant_? Forget species, that was a completely different biological kingdom entirely. 

And yet, here Aster is, sprawled out on his belly in the cool grass of the Warren, Jack leaning against his side, making a happy humming sound as he runs his hands through the thick ruff on Aster’s shoulders. It’s lazy, content, both of them delighting in the simple ability to touch the other, spend time together, and Aster doesn’t bother hiding his own contented rumble at it. 

It’s the perfect way to relax and unwind after the hecticness of his holiday.

At least until Jack freezes, his fingers on Aster’s shoulder blades. “Bunny?”

“Hmm?” 

Chill fingers wiggle through the layers of fur, touching the warm skin underneath, next to slits where his stamen are sheathed. It’s more exploratory than erotic, but still enough to get Aster’s attention drifting in other directions. “You’ve got bumps.” Jack says, a tad confused.

Aster stops purring. “Bumps-?” He echoes. 

“Yeah.” He can feel Jack’s fingers carefully probe the area, pressing down just enough that Aster can feel what Jack is talking about. The protective thorns down his spine poke up a bit at the pressure, an automatic defense that Aster usually has under control. “Kind of hard, and round.” 

“Hold on a tic.” Aster sits up and unfurls his stamen, Jack moving back to accommodate the motion. The six tendrils wave in the air, shifting around so Aster can see them. 

Half of his stamen are the same size and thickness, looking the same as they’ve ever been.

The other three however, are thinner. Little shorter, little paler. Aster swallows, fighting against the bubble of hope rising to the surface. “Jack?” 

“Yeah?” Jack’s voice is concerned. 

“Right side, bout halfway down. Check me back, wouldya?” He asked, trying to keep his voice even. It still wobbles slightly, belying his nervousness. 

He can feel Jack’s hands on middle stamen on the right, sliding down to the base. “There’s a bump.” Jack reports. Without prompting, Jack checks the left side, fingers sliding under the bandoleer. “Not on the left.” 

Aster’s breath leaves him in a heavy whoosh, and he bows his head, murmuring a short prayer in Pookan. 

“Bunny?” Jack crawls back in his knees to look at Aster. “Something wrong?” 

A laugh escapes from his throat, and he has to wipe his eyes with the back of a finger to keep the tears from blurring his vision. “It’s apples.” He grins at Jack, grabbing his partner and pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m knocked up.” 

Jack hugs him hard, then pulls back just enough to give Aster an adorably confused look. “In English?” He requests, eyebrows crooked, fingers digging into Bunny’s fur. 

Aster laughs again, this time in amusement than surprise. “I’m up the duff.” He teases, the difference in their shared language an endless source of amusement. “Banged up. Bun in the oven. Belly full of paws and claws. Preggers.”

“Pregnant?” Jack’s voice goes up an octave and squeaks. 

“Yup.” Aster grins wide enough to hurt his cheeks. 

Jack makes a second illegible noise. “Kits?” 

“Not yet.” Aster rubs his nose against Jack’s in giddy joy. “They’ve got a bit ta grow first.” 

This earns him another befuddled noise. “How? You… Um… Grow… Huh?” 

Biology again. “They’re just seeds right now, growin’ their protective shells. Like a nut. That’s what the thorns are fer, ta protect them while they grow a nice toasty cocoon.” The stamen will shrivel and fade as the seeds grow larger. He’ll eventually grow new ones to replace them, but not for a while. 

“And then… they hatch?” Jack’s face wrinkles up in confusion, clearly trying to understand. “From your back-?” 

“Seeds.” Aster taps Jack on the nose, just to watch Jack go cross-eyed for a second. “Once they’re big enough, they’ll fall off and I’ll plant them.” 

“And then they… sprout?” Jack ventures. “Like plants.” 

Close enough. “Eventually. The earth and water’ll nurture them til they’re ready ta push their way outta the soil and be born.” Aster agreed. They’d have to prepare a spot for that, where there is good light, get the dirt good and soft, with enough water. 

It is going to be a lot of work, preparing for them. But they had a while, it’d be a couple of years by Earth reckoning before they fell off, then a decade or so underground…. 

He nuzzles Jack, holding him close. “They’re like toddlers at that point. We raise them up good and proper, and once they’re ready, they’ll go out into space, and eventually find a planet ta make their own Warren ta protect their kits, and find their own partner.” 

And repeat the cycle. Pooka were a space faring race, once spreading far and wide in search of light, leaving glowing trails of pollen behind. 

Perhaps they would again. 

“... ‘We’?” Jack echoes, something heartbreaking in his tone that it makes Aster pause. He shifts so he can see Jack’s face. Jack’s expression is mostly neutral, but the tenseness of the jaw, the way his teeth are clenched tight give him away. 

“Unless… Unless ya don’t want…?” Aster ventures, his heart beating hard in his chest. They never discussed this, mostly because Aster never thought it would happen. Jack probably never anticipated the chance of having kits with Aster either, since they look like the same gender, and they’re completely different species. He might not even want children. 

Having kids of your own is different than watching over them, after all. You can’t hand them back, for one thing. It's a huge responsibility and commitment. 

Jack shakes his head, fingers digging hard into Aster’s arms, as if afraid Aster will flee. “No, I want to!” He hastens to assure. “I just thought… Maybe you wouldn’t want… _me_. Around. Now that you’ve got little Pooka of your own.” The last is a mumble, his gaze dropping. 

They both had scars, rough spots that never quite healed. For Aster, it’s his people being slaughtered, the last survivor. For Jack, it’s the centuries of isolation, believing he wasn’t wanted or needed. “I want ya.” Aster promised. “Always.”

Jack nods, his expression tight, then curls into him, wrapping his arms around Aster, mindful of the growing bumps on his back. Aster can feel him shaking slightly and rubs a soothing hand down Jack’s back. “Me too.” Jack whispers. “You and the kits. I want.” 

Again, Aster wonders how he got so lucky to find Jack.

He holds Jack until his partner isn’t strung tight like a drawn bow, loosening his grip slightly when Jack shifts to sit sideways on Aster’s legs, leaning against him.

“So the thing I don’t get.” Jack says, sounding more like himself as he traces the tips of Aster’s fingers with his pale soft digits. “Is who is the… uh, Dad? I mean, okay, so I’m still learning about Pooka anatomy, but I kinda doubt that it was my, um, sperm that knocked you up.” 

“It wasn’t.” Aster agrees, running a meditative hand through Jack’s silky hair. Pollinators, partners, usually weren’t Pooka, and compatibility for breeding was rare. Pollination aside, it was a symbiotic relationship, the Pooka guarding the planet, their partner guarding the Pooka. 

Especially while seed bearing. As the seeds got bigger, they’ll become more cumbersome, restricting his movement. 

But he has solid broad childbearing shoulders. They’ll be fine. 

“Ya wouldn’t have happened ta have gone outta the Earth’s atmosphere in the past several months, would ya?” Aster ventures. As the Easter deadline looms, Aster tends to get a bit tunnel visioned, ignoring everything other than his holiday. Jack never seems to mind, the last of the Winter storms tend to be a busy time for him as well, a final hurrah before the Spring thaws. 

Still, Aster tries to be mindful of it, not to take Jack’s presence for granted. It isn’t easy, but the after Easter bonding time is comforting for both of them. 

“Actually, yeah.” Jack nods. “Just after Christmas, as you were gearing up for production. North’s portals only open up in places he’s been, which means anywhere on Earth. He couldn’t go, and since Tooth’s busy, and Sandy can’t leave the planet-?”

“Former Shooting Stars tend to be stuck on the planet they land on.” Aster explains. Like Pooka. Even if Sandy somehow got back into space, he’d still be a Fallen Star, and unable to zoom around the cosmos like he once had. 

“Thanks.” Jack shoots him a smile and continues. “So North asked me to go to the Moon. I snuck a ride up in one of those commercial tourist shuttles to the Moon with a snow globe.”

“Didja have fun?” Aster grins. “And didja meet Manny?” 

“Some.” Jack shivers slightly. “Zero G’s fun, but I didn’t like the cold. It’s different in Space.” He trailed off uncertainly, as if Jack felt like he wasn't explaining it correctly.

“Yeah.” Aster got it. And Jack’s Elemental, tied to the planet. Space’s vacuum probably felt alien to him. 

“And yeah, I got to meet him.” Jack grins up at him, arching up to rub his cheek against the edge of Aster’s jaw, like a cat. “He seemed nice, but a little weird. Greeted me with a hug and threw a handful of sparkling dust over my head. I wasn't comfortable up there, so I stayed long enough for North to get to the Moon and start setting up a steady gateway, so they could visit again in the future.”

It takes a second for Jack’s words to sink in, and when it does, Aster can’t help the bark of laughter that bubbles out of him. “That was the day ya came in and I tackled ya, wasn’t it?” 

Aster had been unable to keep his hands, mouth, and stamen off of Jack, the two of them spending the afternoon rolling around in the grass. He hadn’t really thought about it, but Jack had smelled _irresistible_ and been so beautiful and eager… 

It’d been worth spending the next week trying to catch up after being thrown off schedule. 

“Was a good day for it.” Jack smirks, all smug contentedness as he makes a suggestive little wiggle against Aster. “Warmed me right up.” 

Aster grins, sliding one hand under Jack’s hoodie, the silky feeling of bare skin against his fingertips always giving him a little thrill. He nuzzles Jack’s neck, rumbling happily when Jack tilts his head to give Aster more access.

“That sparkly dust-” Aster whispers in Jack’s ear, giving the lobe a friendly little nibble. “-Was prolly pollen from space-faring Pooka that had fallen on the Moon.”

Pollen that Jack had then passed on to Aster, resulting in the lives now growing on his back. 

A part of him wonders how long Manny has been collecting that pollen, waiting for a chance to get it to Aster. Waiting for Aster to get a partner, to let someone in and share Aster's life, someone who would carry the pollen to him. 

Pollen that would have otherwise burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, unable to reach either Jack or Aster. 

Jack gasps, hips rocking against Aster. They hadn’t been that interested in rooting around earlier, but now… 

Aster rolls them onto the grass, covering Jack’s body with his own. He’ll only have three stamen in the foreseeable future, so they might as well get as much out of his having all six while he has them. 

“Don’t matter who the pollen came from.” He informs Jack, rucking the hoodie up and exposing Jack’s delightfully pale flesh. “They’re _our_ kits. Yours and mine.” 

Jack’s eyes are large and almost luminous as he stares up at Aster. “Oh.” He breathes, then smiles brightly, wrapping his arms around Aster’s neck. “We’ll have to figure out who’s ‘Dad’ and who is ‘Pop’ later.” He says, sounding proud and happy. 

“But first…” Jack arches up, gleefully kissing Aster’s nose. “We’ll have to tell the other Guardians that I sugared your nuts.” 

-fin-


End file.
